Our Story: Some of my favorite "Pins"

Our Timeline

October 2010 Seriously decide to adopt a girl from Vladimir, Russia

November 17, 2010 sent application to Global Adoptions to adopt a specific child

November 20, 2010 Got the call that we could official commit to our daughter

November 2010 Apply for passports

December 2010 Homestudy appointments and our wonderful social worker finish our homestudy Passports come

January 21, 2011 Send I600A in with homestudy this time

January 25, 2011 Homestudy is finalized, notarized, apostilled and sent to Global Adoptions

January 29, 2011 Homestudy and dossier sent to Russia for translation and registering

February 1, 2011 Email at 5:23 a.m. stating that we can start making travel plans to meet our daughter. Travel plans made. Visas applied for (we used five day processing).

February 8, 2011 Recieved fingerprinting appointment card

February 10, 2011 Fingerprinting at USCIS complete. Now waiting on approval.

February 22, 2011 Travel for first trip to Moscow and then to Vladimir, Russia.

March 17, 2011 (letter dated) Receive letter stating USCIS needs more information

March 17, 2011 Contact our senators and Congresswoman to request help with processing our I-171H (several families who went after us received their fingerprinting back with days).

March 20, 2011 Send information to USCIS by mail and to our officer

April 1, 2011 Receive our I-171H!

April 4-8, 2011 finish getting all "new" documents together for court. Find out we still need new US medicals in addition to Russian medicals.

April 11, 2011 Get updated US medicals and dr. license

April 12, 2011 Get certified copy of deed and other papers notarized and certified in this county

April 14, 2011 Send documents to EE using USPS (NEVER, ever do!!!)

May 17, 2011 Documents finally received in EE

May 2011 Make a few corrections; find out we need new EE medicals because ours expired (don't do your until you court trip)

June 2011 Waiting on a court date

June 22 fingerprinted for FBI at local police station

June 23 Fingerprints recieved in WV

June 27 Documents recieved in country.

July Find out our agency has been "black listed" but it's a mistake. Trying to get letter from the region stating it officially.

August Fingerprints received, but not appostilled. Back to DC.

September 2 Fingerprints back with us after 10 days (website quoted 8 weeks!)

September Still waiting on letter from region for approval to get a court date. Write a letter to judge stating we still want to adopt and have done everything in our power to move it along.

October 21st: court!!!! Ten day wait not waived :(

November: Eric travels back to Vladimir, Russia to apply for Louba's passport.

December 6th: Gotcha Day!!!!

December 11th: Home with her forever family!!!

where our money is going

Adoption is expensive, and we are not fundraisers. We made the decision to adopt and fully expect to pay for it. We do welcome any donations and are so thankful for all who have donated to us or through Reece's Rainbow. Here's a breakdown of our costs for all who have wondered: $250 application fee $250 donation to RR $1000 consulatation fee $7000 Agency/Post placement fee $16, 500 Foreign Program Fee $750 USCIS fee for I-600A $2000 Home study ~$100-600 for apostilles to authenticate each document ~$300 Parent Visa (per person/per trip) $180 Parent passports (per person) ~$1600-3000 Airline tickets per trip, including Lyubov's ticket home. ~$200-300 daily expenses per day while in region. $881 Assistance while in country $125 Lyubov's immigrant medical exam $700 for our medicals in country (per person) ~$380 Lyubov's visa We know that it is a lot, but we serve an awesome God who will provide.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Some of my favorite "Pins"

These are some of the things I've pinned and actually used:

Bathroom cleaner: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401601392/ (AMAZING cleaner! Gets all the gunk off the shower walls and floors, even on the gross bathroom at our house).

Cake Mix Chex Mix: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401596791/ (Like a mini cupcake. Fast and easy. I did thin with about 1-2 tsps of shortning)

Laundry Detergent: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401333267/ (clothes come out super clean with very little detergent. I also use vinegar for my rinse instead of regular fabric softner).

Household Cleaners: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401323775/ (Great, economical cleaners. No strong, harsh odors to deal with).

Jule's Valentines with glow sticks: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401404475/

JD's Valentines with glow sticks: http://pinterest.com/pin/91690542383338161/

Spelling App: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401581897/ (both JD and Jules love this)